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This time next year its value will be next to nothing as the numbers in UO continue to dwindle at the rate they are.

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Sad but true.

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You guys both should know by now that making predictions about UO's future, good or bad, is unwise. Especially ones about the demise of the game, people have been saying it for more than 10 years now. Of course one day they will eventually be right, but that day will not come while the game has a healthy population (~110k players), and continues to be profitable (UO rakes in aprox. $1.5mill USD from subscriptions in one month alone {110k subs x $12.99/m* = $1428900}).

*Yes I realize that not everyone pays $12.99/m as it is a little cheaper if you buy 3 or 6 at once, but we can assume that UO's sub takings for one month would probably be round the $1mill USD mark.

Can anyone think of another 10 year old game that still makes $1mill+ every month?

You guys both should know by now that making predictions about UO's future, good or bad, is unwise.

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Hey, I never claimed to be wise!

I have a sig I made that said "Happy 5th Birthday UO!" and had an animation of a gm flogging a dead horse, I still say it's valid.

UO grossing $1m/month is healthy but still small potatoes compared to <inset generic blockbuster grind-o-matic mmo here>, I'm sure EA are aware they could be doing much better AND that trying to "update Shakespeare for the kids" has failed time and again.

I think EA have to acknowledge their playerbase is dwindling and make real steps toward consolidating what's there instead of these half-assed/hearted/witted attempts to attract new people.

That said, I hope UO's around for a while yet as I'm quite enjoying it.

You guys both should know by now that making predictions about UO's future, good or bad, is unwise. Especially ones about the demise of the game, people have been saying it for more than 10 years now. Of course one day they will eventually be right, but that day will not come while the game has a healthy population (~110k players), and continues to be profitable (UO rakes in aprox. $1.5mill USD from subscriptions in one month alone {110k subs x $12.99/m* = $1428900}).

*Yes I realize that not everyone pays $12.99/m as it is a little cheaper if you buy 3 or 6 at once, but we can assume that UO's sub takings for one month would probably be round the $1mill USD mark.

Can anyone think of another 10 year old game that still makes $1mill+ every month?

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Man I was not predicting the decline of UO, I was predicting the decline in the value of the item.

As to the subscriber numbers, good luck trying to get an accurate number for UO when they don't publish their number. That site you referenced was a topic of discussion on UHall a couple months ago and I believe Jeremy said EA does not publish their numbers and therefore will not confirm or deny the data.

Can any here honestly tell me they dont feel the number of active players on our shard is not decreasing?

Sneaky, what number of subscribers do you think it needs to fall before EA says its not profitable enough and pulls the plug.

Wheres SA gone? I think one of the first signs that things are declining are when expansion packs are announced and then silently slip into the void never to me mentioned again.

I myself have played the game for 10 years, however due to the lack of players on Oceania that PvP I am packing up my houses as I post this and will close my accounts permanently at the end of this week. Only reason I am banking my stuff is I maybe be moving to the US next year to work for Cisco in California and therefore may get to play a US shard if the games still going.

No prediction here except the value of the item this time next year will be next to worthless if its not already.

UO grossing $1m/month is healthy but still small potatoes compared to <inset generic blockbuster grind-o-matic mmo here>, I'm sure EA are aware they could be doing much better AND that trying to "update Shakespeare for the kids" has failed time and again.

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Well, one of the great things about EA owning UO is that EA is EA. By that I mean they have PLENTY of money, and alternate sources of revenue. So as far as UO goes? Yeh they could be doing much better, but I think they are content to have this solid 10 year old game that just continues on keeping on.

As to the subscriber numbers, good luck trying to get an accurate number for UO when they don't publish their number. That site you referenced was a topic of discussion on UHall a couple months ago and I believe Jeremy said EA does not publish their numbers and therefore will not confirm or deny the data.

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Yeh, but that about the only reference there is for UO's sub numbers, so they are all we have to go by. Of course Jeremy can't confirm of deny it, even if they were accurate, it has been a long standing tradition of UO and I don't see it changing anytime soon.

Can any here honestly tell me they dont feel the number of active players on our shard is not decreasing?

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I have bolded the most important part of that question. Yes on OUR SHARD there is a small population, EA has ALWAYS been horrible at marketing we all know that.

Sneaky, what number of subscribers do you think it needs to fall before EA says its not profitable enough and pulls the plug.

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Well, lets put it this way. At the moment DAoC, another MMO now owned by EA via Mythic has aprox 20k less subs than UO (110k for UO, 87k for DAoC, according to http://mmogdata.voig.com/Home.html).

Wheres SA gone? I think one of the first signs that things are declining are when expansion packs are announced and then silently slip into the void never to me mentioned again.

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Hahah, its not like that hasn't happened with UO before... UO2? UXO?

But as far as SA goes, it was delayed by 2 things, firstly the KR client needed work, secondly EA bought Mythic and decided to move UO from EA's studios to Mythic's (good move IMO).

SA will be out soon, then UO's subs will rise again.

I myself have played the game for 10 years, however due to the lack of players on Oceania that PvP I am packing up my houses as I post this and will close my accounts permanently at the end of this week.

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You'll be back.

No prediction here except the value of the item this time next year will be next to worthless if its not already.

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Yeh... well 200mill (as quoted for the robe above) is about $200USD... thats hardly worthless. I think your again Shane... ^^

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